LOVE DOESN'T HURT
by PHOENIX FURY
Summary: A new doctor joins the team. Weary of love, determined to stand alone. Steve slowly falls in love, but is the love returned? ON HIATUS
1. PROLOGUE: PERFECT START : PART 1

**LOVE DOESN'T HURT. **

**_BY PHOENIX FURY. _**

_A new doctor joins the team. Weary of love, determined to stand alone. Steve slowly falls in love, but is the love returned?_

* * *

**_PROLOGUE : PERFECT START- PART I._**

* * *

Amanda smiled as she watched the last van leave with the last of her things. Memories of the good times she had. All the mysteries she helped solve and fun she's had. The life she'd made for herself and the friends she made along the way.

_(Jack leaves, Jesse arrives, I leave and she arrives. Jack and I were the old team and I guess Jesse and her will be the one.) _Amanda thought as she went back inside to clean down the kitchen.

_(It seems like so long ago I joined Community General. It's been like a roller coaster. The ups and downs. I have one failed marriage, two great kids and a good job. It's been one hell of a ride. Now I go on to a new ride. I wonder if I'll enjoy it as much as this?) _She smiled fondly at the trip down memory lane as she wet a sponge.

"Amanda!" Dr Mark Sloan, chief of internal medicine at Community medicine called out as he entered the open door interrupting her thoughts.

"In here." Mark walked in to see Amanda wiping down the kitchen sides. "Hey Mark."

"So all packed then."

"Yeah." Amanda sighed looking at the eldery doctor. He had pale blue eyes filled with wisdom and humour. She always found comfort from him when she needed it. They'd had good times together and it was going to be strange not seeing him everyday, helping him slove mysteries. "Jesse and Steve helped me pack everything up last night. Jesse came before his shift to say goodbye. Steve came and helped start the loading and then left for work. The kids are at my parents for the weekend and she arrives in a few hours."

"So what's your cousin like?" Mark asked leaning against the side.

Amanda paused searching for the right words. "Quiet, funny and an excellent doctor. She's very independent which drives my family crazy because her most frequent phrase is 'I'm fine'. She'd say that if she was bleeding to death." Amanda sighed. "She lived so far away so we didn't see much of her but now she'll be close. Thank God she went for my position."

"You encouraged her then." Mark chuckled.

"Encouraged! I said if she didn't I'd make her life miserable and she knows I can. If you can't bribe, blackmail." Amanda exclaimed. "She's the most stubborn person I know."

"You close then?"

"Grew up together. Her father is a military guy so they moved around a lot. My aunt died giving birth to her and her father just ignored her existence, blaming her I think. So my family brought her up along with my aunt Izzy, who haven't met but you will. She tries to run herself into the ground and burn the candle at both ends all the time, I keep expecting her to crack but she hasn't yet." Amanda sighed softly.

"You nervous about leaving?"

Amanda shrugged. "In a way. I mean new job, new house and new school. But I'll be close and I'll be visiting. I'm looking forward to the bigger department."

"Well I better go, patients to see. Trouble and mysteries to attract." Mark stood straight with a sad smile.

"Look after her Mark." She hugged her mentor. He always smelled of mint to her, he made her feel comforted.

"Of course." He hugged her tightly. "I'm going to miss you Amanda."

"I'm gonna miss you too Mark."

* * *

Hours later Amanda Bentley threw an empty box to the pile and looked over to see her cousin, her best friend, Maxine Hunter in the modern kitchen unpacking the cutlery.

Though family they were mostly opposites. Amanda had dark chocolate skin and shoulder length black/brown hair and deep brown eyes. Max was different she had pale ivory skin, deep dark blue eyes and long dark red/black hair. Their personalities were different too. Amanda was well-mannered, sweet and not fazed by attention. While Max was quite though energetic, and weary of getting close to people. Both were funny, kind and caring and had the same kind of interests.

Max sighed looking a little apprehensive.

Amanda could guess what was on her mind. It was never easy starting over. "It's going to be fine." Amanda said patting her shoulder.

"Ya-huh. Says the optimist of the family." Max said as she stacked the plates in the cupboard. "Thanks for staying to help with this Amanda. You'd think with all the moving I do I would get used to it."

"Darling you're my cousin would I just leave you to the dogs?"

Max simply gave her a look. "How are the boys?"

"Good, they like the new house and are ecstatic about getting cats. I'm still not sure it's a good idea I mean I work all day."

"Cats are independent and don't need walking. Unlike those two." She gestured two the two dogs lounging outside the back door.

"Good point."

"Thanks for letting me buy this place." Max said looking around the condo.

"Your welcome." Amanda said. "I'm just glad I get to come back and visit. It means I'll see you more often now that you live closer."

Max smiled as she filled up the dog bowls.

"When does Meeko get here?"

"I put her at the local cattery till this place is less hectic. Knowing her she'd stow away in an empty box on the way to the tip."

Amanda chuckled. Max's little Siamese cat Meeko was as curious as cats got. "By the way Izzy rang me and said she'd see you in the next few months and apparently I'm not only one who's glad you moved."

"Enough already, you win. I get the point. Live close to home, call more regularly and show up at get togethers." Max said in defeat.

"Good about bloody time. We've been trying to get that through your head since you were a kid. You don't have to stand alone all the time you know."

"Yeah I know but it's a hard habit to break." Max sighed as she lent against the island.

Amanda came over and hugged her and repeated, "It will be fine."

"Mmm."

"Look I know three great guys. Mark is funny, caring and the best doctor I've ever met. Jesse is innocent, eager and sweet. Steve, Mark's son is slightly cynical at times but he is a cop. He's fair and open-minded though. They are my friends, they'll take care of you if you let them."

Max simply nodded.

"Well I better go." Amanda picked up her bag and they went to Amanda's car. She threw her bag onto the front seat and hugged her cousin. "I love you darling. I'll ring you later on."

"Love you too." Max hugged her tightly.

"Have fun for once Max, life's too short." Amanda waved as she drove away leaving Max to her thoughts as she carried on unpacking.

* * *

As the sun set Max sat in her garden watching the dogs run around. She looked up to the multicoloured sky. _(I can see why Amanda had a hard time leaving; it's so peaceful compared to DC and New York.)_ Meeko climbed onto her lap.

"Oh so you've forgiven me then?" Max laughed at the chocolate point Siamese who flicked her tail a feline version of flipping you off.

Meeko simply curled her sleek body up. "You three are very spoiled, do you know that?" She scratched her chin hearing her purr like a train.

The two dogs wandered over and lay beside her sun chair. Jinx the Husky wasnearly a year old and always in trouble. Vexed wasjust overthree was the sensible and laid back of the three animals. While Meeko was sneaky manipulative and quite a character and always talking, a real Siamese cat. She had themsince they were pups, or in Meeko's case a kitten.

Max thought over Amanda's words. "I've been alone for so long, always leaning on only myself. Can I change? Can I make friends? Can I let someone in after everything?" Max sighed as she watched the moon rise. "I've started over it's time I at least tried to join the human race. What do ya think?" Max looked down at her lap.

Her blazing blue eyes much like her owners blinked at the question, Meeko gave her an agreeing meow.

"I'm asking my cat for advice I defiantly need human company. No offence Meeko but talking to animals isn't a sign of sanity." Max smiled at the cat who gave her a look as if to say 'why not?'

Max could only chuckle in response.

* * *

**END OF PROLOGUE. **

Thanks for reading, hope you liked it.

**PHOENIX FURY. **

**

* * *

**


	2. CHAPTER 1: PERFECT START : PART 2

**LOVE DOESN'T HURT. **

_**BY PHOENIX FURY. **_

_A new doctor joins the team. Weary of love, determined to stand alone. Steve slowly falls in love, but is the love returned?_

* * *

**_CHAPTER 1 : PERFECT START - PART II._ **

**

* * *

**

The six-foot blonde LAPD Lt Steve Sloan walked up to his father. "Where is this new ME. You'd think the guy would be on time."

"_He_ is."

"Steve I'd like you to meet Dr Hunter." His father said trying not to laugh as he did the introductions. "The new ME and ER doctor. Max - meet my son Steve." Dr Mark Sloan's blue eyes twinkled.

Steve was speechless as he looked over the new doctor smiled at Steve looking up at him from under dark eyelashes. Her dark blue eyes were lit up and aimed at him. She had long dark hair pinned back from her face. She wore a blue sweater and black trousers with her white lab coat over the top.

"WOOF!"

"What the…?" Steve jumped and looked down.

"Meet Jinx and Vexed my dogs." She introduced the Akita and Husky who sat at her feet.

"Dogs in a hospital, is that allowed?"

"Yep. They have a special licence." She smiled as she stroked one of the heads. "You wanted me for something."

_(Want… WHAT! Snap out of it Steve!)_ Steve shook his head and said, "I wanted to meet you."

"Nice to meet you then, but a little hint, Max is short for Maxine not Maxwell. I'm going to decorate my office or I might die from sterile, non-personal environmental disease." She smiled and walked away the dogs be her side.

Steve couldn't help but watch her. "I didn't make a good impression did I?"

Mark just whistled as he skated off on his rounds.

* * *

"What are _they _doing here?" Steve said pointing at two dogs who were lounging on _his_ chair in the lounge as he got home from work.

"Well I invited Max for dinner. Jesse's on a date and Max is new so I thought it would be welcoming. She's out on the deck setting the table. Go get washed." Mark said as he cut onions.

"Going going." Steve grinned at his father's order.

Steve walked back in after washing up and changing clothes to see Max leaning on the island talking to his father. "Hi and I'm sorry about earlier Dr -"

"It's Max and no sweat I get it a lot." Max smiled at the blushing Lieutenant.

"So tell us about yourself." Steve said pouring wine as they waited for the food to get ready.

"Not much to tell. I'm single, twenty-eight; I live in Amanda's condo and have two dogs and one cat. I work as ME and in the ER and I love it. Oh and I happen to be female." She took her glass and shrugged.

Steve blushed and changed the subject. "Amanda's condo, you know Amanda?"

"I should do, her dad was my mother's brother. Her family helped bring me up. She was the one who suggested moving here. Came to visit and couldn't leave."

"What about the rest of your family?" Mark asked as he led the way out onto the deck with the food: Salad, lasagne, bread and cake.

"Amanda and her side of the family and my aunt Izzy are the only ones I keep contact with. After I left my girls boarding school at seventeen I had a two gap year travelling over the world and then med school, after that I had six months in Africa doing med work and then worked in DC and New York."

"And then you came here?" Mark asked.

She nodded as she sipped her wine.

"You finished at seventeen school?" Steve repeated slightly stunned.

"Fast learning curve. Year or two ahead of everyone else and I knew that I wanted to become a doctor but I needed a break so I went on the gap year, which was heaven. I loved it."

"Never married."

"Nope I'm smart remember." She winked.

"You don't want to get married?" Mark asked.

She shrugged. "I'm no good at relationships, I steer clear. My work and having friends and the family I like are enough for me."

"What about if you met the right guy?" Steve asked curiously, most women he knew looked for marriage and commitment.

"I wouldn't know the right guy if he came up and danced in front of me naked. I'm happy with what I have and I've worked hard for it."

Over next two hours they discussed past cases and the routine when her autopsy cases were tied with police investigations. She told them stories about her and Amanda as kids while they told her stories about Amanda. In all it was a great evening for the three. And for the dogs they got a long walk after dinner with the three humans throwing sticks for them.

* * *

Steve knocked and heard a soft, "come in." He pushed open the door and entered pathology. "Max?"

"In here." Steve went to the Head ME's office.

"Hi." Steve said carefully as he pushed open the door. It was much like his fathers office but smaller. A big cardboard box sat on the desk filled with stationary and stuff.

"Hey." Max looked over her shoulder as she stood on a chair hanging up a picture. She smiled warmly at him. "You can stop hovering by the door and come in you know."

Steve's eyes widened as she stretched up making her blue shirt ride up showingthe tanned skin of her spine. Her black slacks were loose on her body so they didn't really show of her figure but Steve could imagine.

She stepped down and came towards him. "You're big and strong you can help me move my desk. I need it sideways so I can see out the window but still see the door." Max pulled him over and put the box on her chair.

Steve smiled and helped her move the desk, which was corner one, so one side was put to the window wall the other facing the other doorway wall. It had shelves and drawers so it had a lot of storage. She placed her flat screen monitor on a shelf and started hooking up her computer. She had a big filing cabinet and cupboard to lock away files and such. "Did you already do the Hanagan case?" Steve asked as he looked around.

"Yeah. Here ya go." She handed the file to him.

Steve quickly read through the papers. "So he was murdered."

"Yep. Shot of poison. The needle mark is at the back of his neck so someone was behind them when they did it. So he either he knew them or snuck up behind them."

Steve nodded. "Your good."

"Yes I am. I've worked with the FBI on quite a few cases." Max said as rummaged through the box pulling out a pot off pen and pencils, pads of plain and lined paper, tape-recorder, CD wallet, CD/Tape/Radio player, and CD lock case. She then put the rest, which were books and folders of her notes onto the bookcase. "Well I'm done for the day."

"Well I was going to see my father wanna come?"

She nodded and locked her office door and followed him down the corridors.

"Hanagan was murdered." Steve said as he walked into his father office.

"Ah." Mark said and lent back in his chair thinking.

"Ok by who?" Jesse asked standing beside him.

"Well who are the suspects?" Max asked perching herself on the edge of the desk.

"Hanagan wife Allison and step daughter Georgia. Allison would get the hotel business and Georgia hated her stepfather for breaking up her parent's marriage. Her father committed suicide after the divorce when he heard Allison was remarrying." Mark said softly.

"Clues at the crime scene?" Max asked.

"Well he was found at his hotel, and there was soil on the ground but no plants."

"So the soil came off the murderer." Max said.

"Well both Mother and daughter run a gardening shop together." Jesse said.

"The poison that killed him comes from a fertilizer." Max said.

"Go check out the garden centre while me and Jess check their house. Max why don't you go with him." Mark suggested at seeing Max's interested expression. _(Maybe she can join our little team.)_

"You sure?" Max asked looking at Steve.

Steve nodded and followed her out glancing over his shoulder to glare at his father who chuckled in answer.

* * *

"Steve, come here." Max called to Steve as he wandered around the garden canter belonging the Allison and Georgia Hanagan. Around her were rows of tables filled with plants. She could faintly smell honeysuckle in the air.

Steve hurried over to where she stood next to an iron shed. "This is the poison." Max said pointing out the tubs of fertilizer.

Steve said crouching down to look around. "They should keep it locked up."

"They did."

"You unlocked it?" Steve asked surprised. Max looked so innocent except right then when she was smiling mischievously.

"I had a very good education. At my boarding school, ladies always carry tweezers and in med school doctors always carry scalpels and penknife's." She shrugged.

"A new Jack." Steve muttered. He wasn't particularly comfortable with Max coming along but he could hardly say no. He never had, not to his Dad, Jack and Amanda or Jesse. _(It looks like she's joining the team.) _He thought grimly not happy with the idea. They always seemed to get into a lot of trouble. _(But what's different about her compared to Amanda?)_

"No need to insult me…" She paused looking around. "Steve… we're not alone." She hissed.

Steve pulled her down around to hide behind a table full of flowers. He pulled out his gun. "Where did you see?"

"By the tress but whoever moved too quickly for me to see who."

"Don't move. Stay here." Steve ordered as he went around the table.

She watched as he ran across to another table and from there to another using them as cover. Shots rang out aimed at where Steve was hiding.

Max bit her lip wincing at the sound. _(Stay here safe and sound while Steve gets shot at or get the shooters attention so he can take them down? Dilemma, dilemma. Ha, yeah right.) _She got up and ran across to another table in sight of the shooter who turned their sights to her. _(Next time stay safe and let him get shot at because he can shoot back.)_ Max told herself as a pot exploded above her head.

"Steve its Allison." Mark called out from somewhere.

Shots rang out.

"Need to use up her ammunition." Max muttered as she moved to another table. "Bad day, Bad day, Bad day." She dived for cover again as shots came close to her.

She looked under the table to see feet not far from her. Small feet in trainers with pink socks. Female feet. Allison's feet. She could also see Steve's feet. Allison was making her way to him around behind.

She lifted up her hand and took some pots from the table. She crept round silently and then stood up. "Hiya." Max said cheerfully as she started throwing the pots at Allison who held a riffle in her hand. One hit her full in the face, which gave Steve enough time to turn and grab the gun out of her hands.

_(He does not look happy.)_ Max thought as she looked at Steve murderous glare, which was aimed at her. _(Not happy at all.)_

* * *

They watched the police car drive away with Allison in the back.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!" Steve turned and started shouting at the female doctor.

"Steve I'm sorry but …" Max tried to apologize.

"Sorry isn't good enough. You almost got yourself killed. From now on stay away from my cases. You aren't Amanda; she had enough sense to do as she was told. Stick to medicine, you aren't a cop and I don't what you messing up my work." Steve snapped and turned on his heel storming off to his car.

Max stood pale and her eyes wide.

Mark was astounded at the way Steve had yelled at her. "Max he didn't mean it." He patted her shoulder.

"Yes he did Mark." Max sighed. Max walked away with one thought going round her head. _(What a perfect start.) _

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 1. **

Poor Max and bad Steve. Should I have him grovel on his knees for forgiveness?

Thanks for reading, hope you liked it.

**PHOENIX FURY. **

**

* * *

**


	3. CHAPTER 2 : CLOSED SPACES & NEW ARRIVALS

**LOVE DOESN'T HURT. **

_**BY PHOENIX FURY. **_

_A new doctor joins the team. Weary of love, determined to stand alone. Steve slowly falls in love, but is the love returned?_

* * *

_**CHAPTER 2 : CLOSED SPACES AND NEW ARRIVALS. **_

* * *

At Tracks Gym, the gym manger Ted was supposed to be doing paperwork but his eyes were drawn to a woman beneath him in the training room. She wore a sports tank top, shorts, trainers and boxing gloves. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail but bounced and swung as she moved.

_(She must be really ticked by the way she's going at it.)_ Ted thought as he watched as slender woman punch and kick. She came every day; she ran, rowed, biked and lifted weights and then moved on to the punch bag before she swam and went home. She'd sighed up for kickboxing, judo, aerobics and yoga. And her figure though slender was toned; he personally thought she looked fitter then any celebrity. _(This is far better then paperwork.)_ He thought with his chin in his hand as he watched.

Max took a deep breath, pushed her hair out of her eyes and then went back to punching the life out of the sand bag.

_That pompous… _

Smack.

_Conceited… _

Whack.

_Opinionated… _

Smack, smack.

_Arrogant… _

Vicious kick.

_Pig headed..._

Roundhouse.

_Asshole!_

She sighed and stepped back looking at her watch. She pulled of the gloves and dropped them, picked up her bottle and towel and made her way to the changing rooms to change into her swimsuit she had an hour left before she had to get ready to go work and she needed to cool off.

She came back out wearing a simple black bathing suit and walked to the deep end and performed a perfect dive. She rose up pushing her hair back and started doing lengths. As she kicked with her feet she imagined kicking him. Then she pushed off the wall as she flipped over and imagined that she kicked him somewhere important.

_(Yeah I'm real cooled off.) _She thought wearily and she slowed down to breaststroke for a few lengths before getting out and walking into the sauna and let the water combine with sweat trickle down her body. _(Why am I letting it bother me? Do I really want to solve mysteries? Being a ME and ER doctor is stressful enough. This is why I stay solo, it's far less complicated.) _

She then after twenty minutes got out rinsed off the sweat under a nearby spray before stepping into the Jacuzzi. She leaned back closing her eyes as the bubbles caressed her body smoothing out aches and pain. She sat there for ten minutes getting nice and relaxed and then got out walking back to the changing room. She opened her locker pulled her towel, shampoo and shower gel. She hung up the towel and got under the spray. She pulled of her costume, rinsed and wrung it out. Then she started pulling out her hair band and washed her hair into a thick lather before washing it out. Then thoroughly soaped up her skin, rinsing it away under the now cool spray.

_(I mean yeah he might be right I could have got killed … but I didn't. … But did he have to be so… why am I defending him he shouted at me?) _She shook her head; she was debating with herself. Sometimes she worried about her sanity.

She let the water beat down at her before she got out and wrapped a towel around herself. She took her stuff and went to a changing room. After changing she came out and combed her hair and stuck it under the hairdryer for a moment to dry it a little. She brushed it out into dark damp curly waves. She then braided it over her shoulder and applied lip balm before packing everything up and leaving.

She climbed into her car and drove to the hospital. She went straight to her office and locked away her bag, checked her messages and her schedule. She slipped on her lap coat and picked up her the two reports that Mark had asked her to give him. She'd finished them on her last shift but had only got the blood work back today so she slipped them inside the folders as she went to find him.

Max walked into Mark's office and saw the back of Steve Sloan, Mark's son. _(Great, just perfect.) _She thought sarcastically.

Since helping him on her first case they had barley said one nice word to the other. For a month they'd been at each other throats.

She knew she'd rushed in without thinking but he didn't need to publicly give her a dressing down like he had. Since then he had been more and more aggressive with each meeting they'd had. He questioned her pathology reports and made her life miserable. Max made herself known and walked in head high and back straight. "Hi Mark, Jess." She didn't look at Steve but said tensely, "Lieutenant."

"Hey Max." Jesse said moving away from firing range. The meetings of Steve and Max had already become legendary.

"Here are the two pathology reports that you wanted. I better go I've got another autopsy to do this afternoon." Max didn't want to stay in Steve's company long so she was going to make her getaway.

"Dr Hunter… Max." Steve needed to talk to her. The last time he seen her he'd said some thing's that might have been well rude and hurtful, well all the times he'd spoken to her had been.

Max paused turning slightly to look at him.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Steve said.

"That's nice, excuse me I have work to do. Mark, Jess." She walked away reading a chart.

"That went well."

"What did you expect?" Jesse couldn't resist muttering with his nose in his chart.

"Well I better go." Steve sighed and walked away.

Steve saw Max getting into the lift and ran to get in too. He needed to get her to accept his apology. They'd barley spoken friendly to one another in a month. He knew his father wanted him to fix it.

"Max we need to talk."

"Why so you can shout at me again? No thank you." Max refused to look at him starring straight ahead.

The lift doors went to close when they heard someone shout, "Hold the doors please," a voice cried out and a man and heavily pregnant woman piled in. To let them in Steve was forced to move closer to Jesse until their bodies were almost touching. The doors slid shut - the elevator moved off. It travelled a few feet, before coming to a grinding halt as the power went off.

The emergency generator kicked in within a few seconds and the lights came back on but the elevator didn't resume its movement. There was a collective groan from the occupants of the elevator.

"Oh not again," the women complained. "This is the third time this month. Last time I was stuck in this damned thing for ten minutes".

"You're complaining?" the man said. "I had to wait nearly half an hour last week. Damn elevators," he muttered, reaching out and pressing the alarm. A high-pitched wail echoed through the elevator shaft. "Guess we'll just have to wait for maintenance to get off their butts and winch this thing up to the next floor", he informed the other occupants.

"Well Max it seems you'll have to talk to me …" Steve turned to face the female ME.

He watched as Max went pale. "Max, are you ok?" Which was a stupid question and Steve regretted asking it the moment the words left his mouth because it was patently evident that Max was far from being ok.

"You don't like elevators?"

"Sort of. I hate small places. Claustrophobia." She muttered closing her eyes as if not looking around her would make it open up.

"Oh."

She felt herself begin to tremble and she let herself sink to the floor leaning against the wall for support.

"How long have you been…?"

"My brothers thought it would be funny to lock me in a cupboard under the stairs with no light. They were wrong. Then a few years later I got in a car crash and was stuck in small car for five hours or so. Not pleasant."

"I can understand that." He sat down beside her, his body touching her from shoulder, hip, and knee to feet. He felt her start to shiver and made her lean against him for warmth.

"I always knew women were supposed to be the ones who panicked in this sort of situation." One of the men remarked casually.

"Hey give her a break," snapped Steve. "Haven't you got something you're afraid of?"

"Well - yeah – snakes." The man replied shamefaced. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I didn't mean anything by that remark - I guess we'll all a little strung out."

"It's ok," Steve replied, turning his attention back to Max. "Doing good Max," he murmured softly into the young woman's ear. "It won't be much longer now. I promise."

"Well we might as well pass the time why are you here?" The woman stripped of her coat and sat down.

"Tests. My Heart." The man said sitting down.

"Pregnant of course, had my scan." The woman smiled as she showed her picture with a hand held protectively over her baby.

"My father works here. I'm a Cop and he's a police med consultant." Steve said glad to do something then feel Max shiver against him.

"I work here. Doctor." Max said softly.

"Names Anna Clark." The heavily pregnant woman started rubbing her back.

"Eric." He muttered starring at the lift doors.

"Steve and this is Max."

"Ahh heartburn." Anna muttered wincing.

Max head critically looked her over. "How far along are you?" _(Keep my mind occupied and it'll be fine.) _

"One more week." Anna smiled softly.

"Oh dear."_ (Be careful for what you ask Maxi girl.)_ Her aunts voice rang her head.

"What do you mean 'Oh dear'?"

"Well you're in labour."

"I can't… What the?" Anna gasped as liquid ran down her legs.

"Her water just broke didn't it?" Steve said praying he was wrong.

"Yep." Max moved over pulling off her lap coat. "Anna lie down and relax." Max quickly checked her pulse and the heartbeat of the baby. "It wasn't heartburn it was a contraction." Max explained as settled Anna down. "Is this your first baby?"

"Yeah. Does that mean-AHH!" Anna gasped.

"Don't push. Let's see if you're dilated. Steve, ever seen a baby born?"

"No."

"Well I think you're about too. Get behind her and keep her calm and talking. Eric get on that phone and tell them this Anna Clark is in labour. Get either Doctors Mark Sloan or Jesse Travis on the phone. Tell them Steve and Max are in here. Do it." Max snapped as Eric sat frozen.

"I want drugs."

"We don't store them in lifts." Max said as she came back up. "I need you to breathe like the birthing classes show you. Can you do that?"

Anna nodded.

"It's alright. Giving birth is one of the most natural things on earth."

"What's the other?"

"Sex."

"I'm killing my husband then."

Max chuckled. "In a while you'll be planning to rip off his balls and then kill him."

"How nice." Anna winced as another contraction came.

Max was handed the phone. "Hey Mark…. Yep… just started… ever five minutes so far … yeah Anna Clark just had a scan … Anna, who was your doctor?"

"Doctor Hadley." Anna gasped.

"Doctor Hadley yeah ok … yeah… bye."

"Good sit here and hold her hand." Max pointed Eric to Anna's her side.

"AHHH!"

"Oh my god." Eric slumped to the ground.

"Well he's useful." Steve muttered.

"Well now you'll have to hold her hand hon, so ha."

"Why are you grinning?" Steve asked suspiciously.

Max just smiled. "Nearly dilated Anna honey but still don't push till I tell ya. Ok."

"OK." Anna smiled knowing why Max was grinning.

"Tell us about your husband." Max felt the walls close on her again. _(Got to keep talking.) _

"Well Mick's a computer geek he's over in New York he arrives home this afternoon then he's on holiday till after the baby's born."

"Is a boy or girl?" Steve asked keeping one eye on the pale doctor.

"Wanted it to be a surprise."

"Any names picked out?" Max asked but Anna didn't answer because Anna was busy crushing Steve's hand as a contraction hit.

"Oww oww." Steve moaned.

"You hurt, imagine how I feel." Anna snapped at the cop and took a deep breath. "No, not yet."

"Well how about we discuss names for babies? I have six brothers Ace, Andrew, Ben, Bowen, Chase, Conan. And they were all carefully named apparently. Andrew after the doctor and St John after the hospital. Ace for when she was labour she was playing cards to pass the time because the labour took a while. Ben is called Ben Jerry after the ice cream, which was mum's food carving when she was pregnant with him. Bowen for the doctor called Owen. Chase because the oldest were chasing each other around the room when he was born. Conan because she liked it, it means wise but unfortunately none of my brothers are."

"Your mother was nuts." Anna muttered.

"Ace, Andy are twins and so are Ben and Bow but they are identical." Max thought it best not discuss her mother directly.

"That's worse."

"Yeah well she had drugs." Max shrugged.

"Lucky. What are your favourite names?"

"Cassandra after my mother, Isabelle after my aunt and Samantha but that's because I grew up watching Bewitched." Max smiled.

"Katherine after my mum, Riley works both ways, and Christina."

Max ducked her head. That was one thing she didn't want to talk about.

"What about boys?" Anna whispered as another contraction hit.

"Mark after my dad, maybe Cal and Mitch."

"Baywatch. I love that show unfortunately so does my husband." Anna smiled and then turned to Max.

"Well I like the name Chance, Rider, Nicholas and Ace after my favourite brother." Max smiled softly.

"My husband wants to name him Edward, I said if he did I'd feed him baby food for the rest of our lives."

Max grinned but saw she was fully dilated. "You're ready honey so when you want start to push."

"Oh goody." Anna pushed away from Steve and laid on her back. "It's more comfortable like this."

"You can do it upside down if you like as long as your clam and comfortable." Max ripped off her lap coat sleeve and gave it to Anna. "Bear down on it. It helps. Steve can I use your jacket to catch the baby."

"Sure." Steve stripped of his jacket and handed it to her.

"Okay I need a shoelace too."

"Why?" Steve asked unlacing his shoe.

"To tie off the cord." Max said.

Anna screamed thought muffled by the sleeve as she did her first push.

"Ok rest Anna breathe that's it girl you're doing fine."

"Max you ok?" Steve noticed Max was very pale and her eyes were wide.

"I'm in small place and I'm about to deliver a baby. I'm as alright as it's gonna get. But I can handle it Anna, don't worry this is actually helping."

Anna just smiled but it quickly turned into a pain filled grimace. "I'll rip off his balls and he's never touching me again. AHH!"

"Push Anna, that's it, I see the head. Keep pushing."

"I can't."

"You can. Imagine the baby, imagine your husband, imagine what you're going to do to him. Now PUSH!"

"AHHHH!" Anna screamed and squeezed Steve's hand.

"You've done it. Good girl." Max caught the screaming baby. "It's a boy Anna, a baby boy."

Anna was flat on her back trying to breath but Steve could see. "Wow." Steve whispered as he watched Max tie of the cord and wipe away the fluid and get wrapped up in his jacket.

"Is he alright?" Anna asked tiredly as Steve helped her up so she lent against him.

"He's screaming, I think that's a good sign." Steve said from behind her.

"Here you go mum, here's your baby boy. Ten fingers and ten toes." Max handed the baby to Anna.

"You can keep the jacket Anna." Steve said as the baby's eyes looked at them.

"Thank you so much." Anna said tears of joy sliding down her face.

"Your welcome."

Then the lift was moving and the doors opened.

Several minutes later Steve and Max were in the Doctor staff room and Mark came in with news of Anna and her baby boy. "Well Steven Maxwell Clark is doing fine. The mother is too and sends her thanks. The man is still out but ok."

"She named him after us." Steve was still in awe about the birth. About the little life he'd seen come into the world. It was beautiful and amazing. He turned to Max. "Isn't that… Max?"

"Oh that's nice of her… That's good…." Max put a hand to her head feeling very dizzy.

"Whoa I got ya." Steve's arm curled around her as he felt heat flood his groin as Max fell backwards against him.

"Sit her over there and I'll get her a drink."

"You are really pale." Steve said as he quickly picked her up and put her in the comfy chair.

"Thanks so much." She groaned as she lent back.

Mark came in and handed the cool water to Max who drank it slowly. She closed her eyes and sighed softly.

Steve suddenly had a vision of her throwing her head back in rapture gasping his name. He gulped as he felt his pants tighten around him. _(That's why I'm so protective I'm attracted to her… Oh god…) _"Well I better go." He said quickly.

He turned back when he heard his name. "Thanks Steve…" Max smiled at him.

"N-no problem." Steve stammered and all but ran out the hospital.

He looked up to the sky as he stepped outside and took a deep breath of air. _(You had to stick me in with her, didn't you? You couldn't just put me in a small place with dad or Jesse could you? No course not. Well thanks a lot.)_

As he headed for his car Steve wished he could put Dr Max Hunter out of his mind - it would make his life a lot ... less complicated. As he eased himself into his car Steve was aware of just how...

Complicated things were. Instead he concentrated his focus on the pile of paperwork waiting for him back at the precinct and slowly - painfully slowly - he got himself back under control.

As he turned the key in the ignition Steve cursed the day Max Hunter had started work at Community General. He'd opened his mouth without looking around and put his foot right in it.

"Steve I'd like you to meet Dr Hunter." His father said trying not to laugh as he did the introductions. "The new ME and ER doctor. Max - meet my son Steve."

Max, who had been reading through a patient's chart, had turned and smiled at Steve from underneath her dark eyelashes and it took the first case to realize he was protective of her. He yelled at her and she'd avoided him since. His own father didn't say anything but he knew Mark thought he was wrong. Steve didn't like that he thought her different from Amanda, Jack or Jesse. Why did she make him feel protective? The first week since her first case Steve had watched Max carefully. He learned she ate, slept and breathed her job and she was good at it. But he didn't understand her she was a mystery to him. That unsettled him because he wanted to solve it and he didn't understand why? Without answers Steve's attitude towards the young woman grew more and more aggressive - until now the two squared up like angry cats whenever they came into contact with one another. He knew his behaviour made no sense - anger transference a psychologist would probably call it.

And now he was attracted to her. _(Fantastic. Bloody brilliant.) _He stamped onto the accelerator and sped out of the car park.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 2. **

Thanks for reading, hope you liked it.

I'll add some improvements later but at the moments I 'm trying to sort out my writers block on one of my other stories.

**PHOENIX FURY. **

**

* * *

**


	4. CHAPTER 4 : IT'S YOUR FAULT : I'M SORRY

**LOVE DOESN'T HURT. **

_**BY PHOENIX FURY. **_

_A new doctor joins the team. Weary of love, determined to stand alone. Steve slowly falls in love, but is the love returned?_

* * *

_**CHAPTER 3 : IT'S YOUR FAULT – I'M SORRY **_

**

* * *

**

Max was walking to her car when she heard her name; she wearily turned round to see Steve Sloan coming towards her. They'd only seen each other hours before when they had helped a mother deliver her baby boy in the lift.

"Hey." She said softly pushing back her hair from her face. _(I have shopping to get, two dogs that need walking, washing to do, more reports to write and I'm tired and in no mood for this.) _She thought.

"On your way home?" Steve asked as he came to stand next to her.

"It's why I'm heading to my car." She gestured to her car.

"Oh right umm… how are you?"

_(He looks nervous or apprehensive or something… why?) _Max raised an eyebrow and said cautiously, "I'm fine."

"Look Max, I need to …"

There was a screech of tyres that made them both look to see a van come speeding towards them.

Steve pushed her to the ground. Max heard the doors open and pushed her bag under a nearby truck.

They were pulled to their feet by two men wearing black masks.

"GET IN!" They were yanked into the truck.

"Do as they say, they have guns." Steve said under his breath as he eyed the two men pointing the said guns at them.

"No kidding Sherlock." Max muttered.

"Shut up!"

They were immediately blindfolded and taken somewhere. Max had been able to smell the sea and hear a foghorn in the distance so she knew they were near water.

They were pulled out the van and dragged around, pushed into chairs and handcuffed. Then they had their blindfolds whipped off. Max squinted as she got used to the light.

"Mickey Kale." Steve said as his eyesight went normal.

"You know this dirtbag?" Max asked.

"I arrested him, put him away for two years."

"Oh great so he's out for revenge. Fantastic. Why'd you bring me if you want him?"

"Got to give him some company." A thug answered.

"You picked the wrong person, we don't get along." Max said glaring.

"Yeah well if you didn't get into trouble we'd get along fine."

"I've only been here a month and you mean if _you_ were a nice decent human being we'd get along fine." Max said.

"This is all your fault." Steve said.

"How? You arrested him, I don't even know him." Max answered back.

"I came to apologise to you and he caught us."

"Good job."

"Excuse me!" Mickey snapped.

"WHAT!" They turned and yelled at him.

"In case you hadn't noticed I've kidnapped you. Work out your issues later. I wanna talk."

"Oh brother here comes the speech." Max muttered unfortunately not quiet enough.

"That's rude." He slapped her but she just glared at him not impressed.

"Now we're going to leave you two lovebirds together for a long time. You see this won't be opened for a very long time. It's a storage crate. Soundproof so you can yell at each other as much as you like. Have fun darlings I'll think of you while I'm down under. I'll be getting a tan and you'll be starving in each others company. Toddles."

"Toddles?" Max repeated eyebrow raised as the door shut.

"Max you ok?" Steve asked concerned.

"What do you care? You don't even like me." Max muttered twisting her hands. She felt a bruise forming but was only drained of energy otherwise. _(Trapped in a lift, deliver baby and now I get kidnapped, what next? … What a long day.)_

_(I like you too much that's the problem.) _Steve thought and then started to speak, "Look I'm sorry I went from friendly to …"

"A prick." Max suggested.

"Yeah."

"Why did you…?"

"You're a girl and…"

She snorted at that and said, "Well I'm glad you noticed."

"Will you let me grovel and apologize?" He snapped back. _(I noticed, that would be part of the problem..)_

He paused hearing no answer carried on. "I just realized how much danger there is. And…"

"Steve your father goes into more dangerous situations every case. And you don't stop him or Jesse. And you never did with Amanda and Jack. So why me?"

"You're new at this." Steve mumbled knowing that it made no sense. _(I'm not telling her the truth.) _

"Steve I have six older brothers I can hold my own." She smirked. "Did you know that I do kick boxing and tai kwon do?"

"No."

"I may be female but I'm far from defenceless. I don't need protecting." She felt like she was talking to her brothers. "God this is Déjà vu."

"What do you mean?"

"My brothers were very over-protective it's why I have no contact. They wouldn't even let me learn to drive. I was barley allowed out the house without supervision when they were around. They wanted me to become a schoolteacher or help out at the church. They didn't want me to become a doctor. So in the end I left. Took my gap years and went to med school. I last saw them five years ago." She said softly leaning back to look at the ceiling.

"What about your parents?"

She went quiet for a few moments. "My mum died a few hours after I was born, long enough to name me and write me a letter. I came early and that didn't help my mother's health. She lost too much blood and had a weak heart as well as toxaemia. The doctors had told her she wouldn't last long so she knew that since she found out she was pregnant that's why she remade her will, wrote letters to me and my brothers and … the General."

"The General?"

"My father. He wasn't there and blamed me I guess. We saw him maybe once a year, he barley spoke to my brothers… and well I didn't exist to him so my brothers went on overdrive to make up for it, that's why they're so over protective."

"When did you last see him?"

"When he dropped me off at boarding school after taking me away from aunt Izzy's and Bentley clan. I was nearly ten. He put my brothers in military school, sold our home and disappeared into his work. My aunt and Amanda's dad, my uncle Ken told me that I look exactly like my mother while my brothers look like the General. I think that's why he pretended I was invisible."

"I'm sorry." And he really meant it, he couldn't imagine being invisible to his father.

"No worries. As the saying goes 'what doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger.' I'm still standing I might be a little too independent and stubborn as Izzy says but hey it's genetic." Max said wriggled her hands she was beginning to realize how small the place was. It was literally a box with light creeping in through cracks.

"Max you ok?"

"This place is small and fairly dark so the answer's no. Keep talking." Max said twisting her hands even more.

"Keep breathing."

"Uh-huh."

"Did you hear anything that might tell us where we are?"

"Well I could smell the sea and hear a fog horn when we arrived so we're near maybe a port or something." She felt a vibrating at her waist.

"Good."

"I can feel my beeper going off, so they must know we're gone I hope… Steve, have you got your phone?" Max asked suddenly with an idea.

Steve said calmly, "I left mine in my car to charge. You?"

"Yeah but I can't reach it."

"Ok lets see what we can do." Steve turned to the sideways as did Max. "Where is it?"

"Pocket."

His eyes went to her shirt pocket, which was over her breast. "Coat pocket?" His voice sounded a little rough to his ears; he hoped she didn't hear it. _(Please be blouse… what no, coat, COAT! Please be COAT!)_

"Ya-huh."

Steve twisted to get his hands in her pocket turned back to face her. "You had to have a flip phone didn't you." Steve grumbled as tried opening it.

"Well if you put it in my hand then I can open it." Max said smirking slightly.

"How are we going to -?"

"Hands free speaker thing in my pocket." She said realizing what he meant.

He dropped it in her hands and helped her hook it up and then did as she had suggested and used his fingers to type in the hospital number.

"Hi dad … umm I've been kidnapped."

_"What!" _

"Max is here with me. Mickey Kale did it. Were by the sea in a big metal create … could you come find us. It's ten minutes away from the hospital."

_"On my way son. Is Max ok?" _

"I'm fine Mark." Max reassured the doctor.

"Bring a key cause we're handcuffed together."

_"Oh lord I'm on my way." _

"Now we wait." Steve said as the line went dead.

* * *

"Steve and Max were kidnapped. Their handcuffed to a chair in a big metal create ten minutes from here by the sea." Mark said as he stripped off his lap coat grabbed some paperclips and tweezers.

"We better hurry then. Do you think they'll be alive when we get there?" Jesse asked.

"Well they didn't say anything about a bomb or air. They sounded fine." Mark said reassuringly.

"I meant will they have killed each other." Jesse said as they raced to the car.

Mark nodded. "You're right, we better hurry."

* * *

"Steve, Max!"

Max and Steve looked over as the door opened.

"Dad thank god."

"Your both alive." Jesse said in wonder.

"Wwll we're not six feet under." Max said.

"We were worried that you might … be arguing." Mark used a spare paperclip to unlock the handcuffs.

"Now we catch Mickey." Steve said determined as he watched Max take a deep breathe of air as she got out the crate. "Where are we gonna find him though?"

"Down under… Australia?" Max questioned.

"Airport." Steve said as they ran to the car already dialling on his phone.

They raced to the airport and to the information as they met up with a two uniform cops.

Steve flashed his badge. "Flight to Australia."

"Leaving in ten minutes from gate 4."

"Hold it." Steve said as they ran to gate four.

Steve was looking down the rows as he walked down the aisle. And there was Mickey by the window. He was dressed in jeans, Australian rugby shirt and a leather hat.

"Good day Mickey." Steve said cheerfully.

Mickey leaped up and shoved Steve away as he made a break for it.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye Mickey?" Stevecalled as Mickey ran down the aisle.

And he ran straight into Max's fist.

As he rolled on the ground holding his nose and was handcuffed by the two cops.

"Mickey Kale you're under arrest. Don't worry you will be going down." Steve smiled as he was dragged away. "How about we got out for a drink?" Steve asked Max as they watched him driven away.

"Yeah I could do that. It's been a long day." They walked away leaving Mark and Jesse gawking.

"They're getting along, _finally_."

"You two coming." Steve called over his shoulder, which had Mark and Jesse quickly following.

Later on that evening, glasses were raised high as they said, "Welcome to the team Max."

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 3. **

I've been away in South Africa so that's why it's taken so long to write. Faced my fears and went bungee jumping. I felt like I had no legs and that I was going to throw up afterwards until I had a few shots and a can of lager then I felt nearly human again. I am half way through CHAPTER 4 so don't worry.

I hope you liked, please review.

**PHOENIX FURY. **

**

* * *

**


End file.
